Machine for forming toy construction materials.



E. S. HARRIS. MACHINE FOR FORMING TOY CONSTRUCTION MATERIAlS.

APPLICATION TILED APR. l0. l9l5.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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E. S. HARRIS. MACHINE FOR FoRmNG TOY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED A". 10. "I5.

'Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. HARRIS. OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEX. NOVELTY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters 2mm.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Application tiled April 10. 1815. Serial No. 20,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwann S. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Melrose, county of Middlesex Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Forming Tov Construction Materials, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representin" like parts in each of the several views.

This invention relates to apparatus for producim and forming structural toy material of t e kind wherefrom toy buildings and other toy constructions are adapted to be erected or constructed. Structural toy building material of this kind is now commonly supplied in the form of outfits compose of numerous metallic strips made as thin but stiff bands of soft steel with a line of bolt receiving holes at frequent intervals along the length thereof, suitable angle ieces, securing bolts, etc.

T is prime object of the present invention is to provide a unitary organized mechanism specially designed and adapted to handle and'operate on a metallic strip of a single standard width and thickness to punch oles therein as required, to bend the same either at right angles or any other required angle and to cut oil the stock into desired lengths; also to bend, cut off, and thread lengths of wire or small rod stock to constitute the structural toy bolts.

"In accordance with my invention a small, compact and simple, but very owerful mechanism is provided having stoc c receiving openings formed to gage and accurately position for o eration thereon a single standard size oi structural toy stock, 2'. 6., the kind of stock comprising a part of the outfit with which the machine is furnished.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken-in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention, the ma'or ortion of a handle and of a gage member using broken. away; Fig. 2 is a side 'view from. the side op osite to Fig. 1 with art of a 'cheek framep ate broken away;:1 ig."3' is an end view of the machine looking at the end where the hcndin is performed; Fig. -i is a similar view looting at the other end of the machine where the punching and cutting oil' is performed; and Figs. 5, (i and 7 are perspective views showing toy construction material produced by the machine.

The machine as shown has a suitable base 1 to which are fixed as by securing bolts 2, upright supporting frame work members 3,

'4 these being shown as bracket plates parallel and spaced apart to receive between them the operating means, and having horizontally bent foot portions 5 through which the bolts 2 are )llSSGtl to clamp them to the base. The bracket plate member 3 is shown as relatively heavy and substantial and it has fixed thereto at its opposite sides anvil or stationary die members against which the movable punch and bending jaw are adapted to act. The anvil or unch block at one side of the plate 3 is indicated at (i in the form of an angle plate with an upright portion 7 secured to the late 3 by rivets 8 and a horizontally extending ortlon 9 which is equipped with a punch'iole 10 and at a definitely spaced distance therefrom with another hole 11 to receive a spacing pin 12 which is removably'fitted thereto; the pin 12 bein thus spaced from the hole 10 and the pane 1 coiiperative therewith. a distance correspondingto the spacing of the holes to be produced in the structural toy stock. The iorizontal portion 9 of this punch block passes through an opening in the bracket plate 4 and is supported on a ledge 13 at the lowersidc of such opening. The stationary bending die block 14 is likewise formed as an angle pl te riveted as seen at 15 to the bracket p ate '6 at the other side thereof from the punch block, this die block having a horizontal portion equipped with a- V- shaped recess 10 to constitute a stationary bending die and having an outboard support on the bracket plate 4 which has a lateral extension 17 furnishing a supporting shoulder or ledge for this purpose. The movable die member coiiperative with the punch block and stationarv bendin die thus formed, is shown as a swinging phite block 18 fitted between the frame plates 3, 4, and i'ournaled on a stout pivot bolt 10 fitted and mold in the plates 3 and 4, a nut 20 being fitted to this ivot belt for clamping the parts 1n operative position. For moving the plate block 18 in either direction to etlcct a punching or bending or cutting oil operation as presently described, it has at its top a vertical slot 21 withparallel sides in which operates an eccentric 22 fixed on a shaft 23 journaled at the top of the plates 3,- 4, this eccentric and shaft also having fixed thereto and rigid therewith an operating handle 24 which may be extended. far enough to give the required leverage. it will be noted that the operation of the eccentric 22 upon the upward extension of the plate bloc: 18 in conjunction with-the leverage obtained by the extended handle24 is adapted to give a very powerful operative impulse to the )late locklS and hence to the operating tools including the punch and bending die carried by or formed therewith.

The punch element is indicated at 25 removably fitted to the plate block 18 atone side thereof as by a cotter pin 26, and in position to cooperate with the hole 10 in the punch block (3. The movable bending die criiperative with the die block 16 is indicated at 27 as a jaw extending from the plate block 18 at the side thereof opposite the punch 25, this jaw being equipped with a V-shaped projection 28 to cooperate with the V-recess of fixed die 16. The frame plates 3, 4. are formed with portions 29 overhanging the punch block and spaced thereover just far enough to permit the standard thickness of stock fer which the machine is designed. to be inserted to punching position, thus preventing the machine from being used for other purposes foreign to that intended which mightplace too great a .strain on the working parts.

For cutting oil thestrip material I form a slot 30 in the platell and a slot 81 in the plate block 18 to cooperate therewith for constituting a slicers. The slot 30 is of a width just great enough to permit the standard stock supplied with the machine to be inserted therein.s0 that stock foreign to the outfit and which mightbe too heavy to be cut oil by the machinecannot be inserted. For cutting oil wire stock to form the bolts of the structural toy outfit, the bracket plates 3, 4, are formed with registering apertures 32 to receive such stock, and the plate block 18 is formed with a similar hole 33 whereby a wire cutting shears is provided. To locate the wire st ck for bending the same in the bending dies when required. the bendin jaw 27 preferably has a notch 8-: extending transversely thoreacross and formed to -seat:the wire therein to be bent against the stationary bending die. For spacing1 the'lengths of stock asit is to be cut oil I provide a gage member .35 bent laterally to extend upright, from a 'rod 86 which is fitted to slide through openings therefor in the frame plates 3, 4'; this red being .of in length sufiicient to permit adjustment. thereof for cutting off the different a washer -l0 engaging with the adjacent sides oi the plates ll, -l. -'lhus by turning up this nut the gage rod 313 is securely clamped for holding lengths of wire stock to operate on the same, 0. as fir threading. I may provide a positioning notch or aperture 41 either in the washer 40, or in the adjacent edges of the plates 3, 4, or both. the size of this aperture being such that while it serves to position the wire therein. it is not sullicient to entirely receive the wire. so that as the nut 31 is set up. the wire will be clamped between the washer 40 and the adjacent edges of the plates. One or more suitable spacing blocks and clamping bolts may be provided for holding the frame plates 3. 4, securely assembled. one such spacing block being indicated at 42 with a clamp bolt 48 passed thcrethrough and through the frame plates.

It will be observed that I thus provide a simple and inexpensive but complete and powerful machine adapted for performing all the requisite (qicrations on toy structural material stock, to cut oil, punch and bend the strip stock and also the wire or rod stock for the securing bolts in the required manner to produce the various elements.rcquired for building tov structures; further that the several operative portions of the machine are specially formed and designed to handle a single standard size and gage of stock and that only. this being the size supplied with the machine and forming a part of the structural toy outfit, and the several operative portions of the machine being adapted to correctly position and gage this one standard size of stock so that when inserted in any of the operative apertures, it is automatically positioned and correctly located therein. For this purpose, in addition to the structural provision already described, the frame plates 3, 1 are cut away to receive the punch block 6 and the bending die block 14, just far enough back so that when the standard width of strip stock for which the machine is designed is inserted in operative position and pushed back against the upright shoulder formed on the plates, 3, 4, it is correctly positioned for operation, thus when under the punch 25 being located so that the holes are punched transversely central .of the stock, and when under the bending' diei27, it is correctly positioned for the bending-thereof to 'the degree indicated by snitablegraduations which may be placed 37 extending inward bewe on the operatin" means and on the frame work adpicent t iereto. Thus a single llltllcater line 44 may he placed on the handle .24,

.and a seriesof properly spaced marks 4-) placed adjacent thereto on the frame plate 4, the first or upper one of these marks bein positioned so that when the line 44 coin- Cl( es therewith a certain degree of bend in the stock strip on the bending die 14 will be indicated, for example, thirty dc recs, while when the line 44 coincides with tie succeeding lower marks on the frame plate, further predetermined degrees of bend, a. 1., fortylive demos and seventy degrees will be mdicatet, while the pressing of the bending jaw 27 down to its limiting position will ell'ect a ninety degree head. In this way, it will be noted .that the frame work plate members 3, 4, and the relatively stationary operative parts carried thereby are cooperatively arranged and mutual y intergaged with the movable plate block 18 and the operative instrumen alities carried thereby, for operutin on the single standard size and age of stoc i only, that is supplied with the outlit, thus making the out it suitable for use by one totally inexperienced in mechanical work, as a young child, and capable of both educational and amusing use by children.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms as to its various details of construction and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing des .ption to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine forforming toy construction material, comprising a supporting framework, and operating mechanism mounted thereon, including means for bending strip material, and means for punching strip material, said mechanism and said framework being coiiperatively arranged and mutually intergaged to receive and operate on, in definitely gaged position, a single standard si. e of material only.

2. A macnine for forming toy construction material, comprising a supporting framework, and operating mechanism mounted thereon, including means for cutting otl' strip material, means for bending strip material, and means for punching strip material. said framework and the several means of said operating mechanism being cotiperativelv arranged and mutually innitely gaged position, a single standard size; of material oply.

machine for formmg toy construe l terraced to receive and operate on. in defi-,--

:plat-e eomnped with operating means. said frametion material, comprising enacting bending jaws mounted for relative movement one with respect to the other, operating means therefor and indicia arranged for cooperation with said operating means to indicate the angle of head imparted to a single standard size of stock at ditlerent points in the moven'icnt of said operating means.

4. machine for forming toy construction material, comprising spaced apart framework plates mounted in parallelisnna plate block mounted to operate between said plates and equipped with operating means pivotally mounted on said framework plates. said t'raunuvork plates and said plate block having cooperative means mutuallv intergaged for punching a single standard size onlv of strip material in delinitely gaged position. and having also means for operating on a single standard size only of rod stock adapted to fit the holes as punched in said strip material by said punching means.

5. A machine for forming toy construction material. comprising a supporting framework, operating means thereon for punching strip material. said frameworkand said operating means being mutually intcrgaged and cooperatively arranged to receive and operate on in definitely gaged position a single standard size only of material. and said framework and operatingmeans having also provision for operating on in definitelv gaged relation, a single standard size cnlv of rod material to fit the holes as punched in said strip material.

6. A machine for forming toy construction material. comprising spaced apart framework plates mounted in parallelism, a plate block operative therebetween and equipped with operating means pivotally mounted on said framework plates. said framework plates and said plate block having cooperative mechanism mutually intergaged for punching and bending a sin le standard size onlv of strip material in definitely gaged position.

7. A machine for forming a toy construction material. comprising spaced apart framework plates mounted in parallelisnna 115 plate block pivotally mounted therehetween, and equipped with operating means. said framework plates and said plate block having cooperati e me hanism mntuallv intergaeed for cuttinnr off, pnnchins. and bending a sin le standard size only of strip material in definitelv gaged position.

8. A machine for forming toy construction material. comprisin spaced apart framework plates mounted in parallelism. a 135 block pivoted therebctween. and

work plates and said plate block having onoperative mechanism at opposite sides of said plate block mutually intergaged for punching and bending a single standard size only of strip material indefinitely gaged position,

i), A machine for forming toy tion material, comprising a framework, a die formed as a late block pivotally mounted thereon, am equipped with operating means, said framework and said die being coiiperatively formed to receive and operate on a sin le standard size of strip material for punching and bending the same in definitely gaged position, and being also equipped to operatively handle a single standard size only of rod material adapted to fit the holes as punched in said strip material.

10. A machine for forming tov construction material, comprising an upright framework plate, a punch block formed as an angle plate secured at one side thereof, a bending die block formed as an angle plate secured at an oppcsite side thereof, and a plate block pivotally mounted with respect to said framework plate having at one side a punch cooperative with said punch block.

construe station a ry Copier of thin patent may be obtained for and at its other side a bending die cooperative with said bending die block, said framework plate and said plate block being c0- operatively arranged and mutually inter: gaged to receive and act on in definitely gaged position. a single standard size only of stri material.

1 1 machine for forming toy constructlOli material, comprising a fixed frame- 'Qll'li, means coiiperative therewith for operating on'inaterial. a gage for snch material adjustably fitted to said framework, and means for clamping said gage in adjusted positiop, said clamping means and said framework having a cooperatively arranged recess to receive rod stock to be clamped thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing udtnesses.

EDWARD S. HARRIS.

\Vitnesscs:

Cm'nr. L. ROGERS, Louisa A. Joanas.

ave cents each. by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

ill) 

